


scurry across the sand

by death-by-space-sword (fandomchildd), fandomchildd



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: "im in love with my best friend but i'm pretty sure he's straight" light angst, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Minor Aang/Katara, Mutual Pining, Pining, Summer Vacation, Underwater Kiss, Vacation, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, everyone else is totally aware of zukka mutual pining and probably has bets on them, i have no idea if bending exists i made it vague purposefully, is there bending? possibly, katara is definitely pretending to be asleep, sokka is slightly taller than zuko but zuko is very very overdramatic about it, the gaang ships zukka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:41:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24524803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomchildd/pseuds/death-by-space-sword, https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomchildd/pseuds/fandomchildd
Summary: the gaang is on vacation! ft. mutual pining zukka“Baby steps?” Zuko suggested, leaning over the railing of the balcony. Sokka glanced at him from below, eyeing the hotel pool suspiciously.“I don’t trust the pool,” he complained, meeting Zuko’s eyes and then quickly looking away.“Then just, uh, wade in the water slowly?” Zuko tried again, trying in vain to not ogle his best friend’s bare chest- Sokka didn’t even like guys, as far as Zuko knew. “Um, scurry across the sand?”
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 807
Collections: A:tla





	scurry across the sand

**Author's Note:**

> i am Sad and i have not Slept in Hours but this received my [friend](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveGeek15/pseuds/LoveGeek15)'s approval so here we goooooo thank you dear Friend ily very much also i am Hyperfixating on atla

“Baby steps?” Zuko suggested, leaning over the railing of the balcony. Sokka glanced at him from below, eyeing the hotel pool suspiciously. 

“I don’t trust it,” he complained, meeting Zuko’s eyes and then quickly looking away. 

“Then just, uh, wade in the water?” Zuko tried again, trying in vain to  _ not _ ogle his best friend’s bare chest- Sokka didn’t even  _ like _ guys, as far as Zuko knew. “Um, scurry across the sand?”

“Wha- There isn’t even any sand!” Sokka burst into laughter, turning back around to grin at Zuko. 

His cheeks flushed, and he gave a little half smile. “I-it's like a metaphor or something. My uncle would say something like that,” he mumbled. 

Sokka shot Zuko a blinding smile and shrugged. “You’re cute, but I’m still not getting in the freaky pool.”

“It’s literally just water, there’s nothing freaky about it,” Zuko said, rolling his eyes as he tightened his grip on the railing and willed himself not to melt at the compliment. It was _just_ _platonic_. Sokka didn’t mean anything and Zuko was, like always, reading into everything too much. 

“Oh really? How about  _ you _ come swim in it then?” Sokka challenged, and Zuko wrinkled his nose at him as he rushed back inside to change and grab a towel. 

He ignores Suki’s knowing smirk and Ty Lee’s giggles. Mai pinches her girlfriend to get her to focus on their game, and the three start playfully bickering. Toph cheers them on, her frankly impressive domino structure wobbling as Aang breezes by in his swimsuit. 

“I’m going to go hang out with Katara and Sokka!” he announces, and glances at Zuko meaningfully. “Wanna come with?”

“I was actually just planning the head down there,” Zuko admits, sliding into the bathroom to change. The second he closes the door, something goes crashing to the floor and Zuko really hopes it’s just Toph’s dominos. 

He emerges from the bathroom cautiously, only to find the card game abandoned as Suki and Mai arm wrestle. 

Considering that it’s  _ them _ , Zuko is completely unsurprised to find Aang sheepishly sweeping up the pieces of a plate and Toph guarding her tower suspiciously. He throws a towel over his shoulder and grabs a key card from the table next to the door- it’s highly unlikely that they’ll  _ all _ manage to get locked out of their massive suite (courtesy of Toph’s Beifong fortune), but they’ve done it before and Zuko doesn’t doubt they’ll do it again. And Sokka and Katara probably didn’t take one with them.

Aang finishes disposing of the plate he’d dropped and grabs his bag, looping his arm around Zuko’s and dragging him towards the pool, both of them barefoot on the hallway carpet. There’s a mirror by the elevators and Zuko glances at his reflection as they wait for the elevator- it’d be quicker to take the stairs but Aang’s already fallen down those stairs once and Zuko’s not going to risk it again. 

He’s never considered himself a vain person but he can’t help but angle himself so he can’t see his burn scars. Between Ozai and Azula, they made sure he’d never forget them, but around his friends (and  _ especially _ around Sokka) it’s so easy to pretend nothing ever happened.

Zuko startles out of his thoughts as the elevator dings and Aang practically flies inside, thrumming excitedly at the prospect of swimming with Katara- Zuko can’t exactly blame him for his massive crush, not when Zuko’s pining just as much after Sokka, and it’s somewhere between mildly irritating and extremely adorable how excited Aang is.

The doors close at an excruciating pace, making Zuko  _ really _ wish he’d just risked the stairs instead, and the elevator starts to descend. It leaves a weird, disgusting feeling in his stomach that doesn’t quite tamp down the mushy feelings about Sokka. 

Sokka is really screwed. 

It was a realization that had come over him slowly, somewhere in between the first time he made Zuko laugh nearly a year ago and three minutes ago when he’d called Zuko  _ cute _ . 

Zuko wasn’t  _ cute _ , he was  _ hot as hell _ , and he was  _ way too comfortable _ being shirtless around other people for Sokka’s sanity. Luckily, Zuko isn’t the one who’s shirtless today. 

Zuko also blushes very easily, a fact that delights Sokka to no end- someone that dangerously attractive had  _ no right  _ to blush like- like  _ that _ . He’s beautiful and flawless- the scars that cross his skin don’t count as  _ flaws _ , they’re a silent testimony to what he’s been through, a show of what he’s  _ survived. _

Even with all those scars, Zuko’s the kindest, most awkward person Sokka’s ever met. He may cover it up but Sokka’s been his best friend for two years and been in love with him for one, and at this point he’s far, far past the prickly exterior when it’s just them. 

Zuko puts up with Sokka and Sokka has no idea  _ why _ but there’s a surge of affection that covers everything else when Zuko cracks a smile at any of his weird antics that makes his doubts fly away, but Zuko could do so much better than  _ Sokka _ , who’s refusing to get in a  _ pool _ because it’s  _ weird _ (but mostly because he’s trying to bait Zuko to get in the pool with him, not that he’ll admit it until it’s funny. Zuko’s laughs are  _ everything _ ).

Sokka’s debating whether or not to head back to their hotel room to join the rest of the Gaang’s card games like Zuko probably has, but he’s down here and Katara may or may not be asleep in the hot tub and frankly Sokka does  _ not _ want to wake his sister. 

Sokka’s just preparing to sit down on one of the pool chairs and text Zuko about stupid things and do nothing when the doors open and a rush of cool, airconditioned air sweeps over the pool and Sokka only has a moment to brace himself before Aang’s dashing past him, shoving him backwards into the pool- Sokka comes up spluttering, and paddles to the edge. 

Zuko’s there waiting for him, offering a hand that Sokka gladly takes- then uses to yank him in as he catches the poorly hidden amusement in Zuko’s smile. 

Sokka is absolutely not prepared for Zuko to fall  _ directly into his arms _ instead of the water beside him but okay. This is fine. What did he expect?

Zuko’s eyes widen as he finds himself close enough to Sokka to kiss him, close enough that he can feel his breath against his skin- it’s tantalizing, and he almost closes the distance in between them before the shock of the cold water hits and he snaps out of it before he does anything stupid. 

Zuko yelps and flails, accidentally splashing Sokka in his haste to get  _ out, _ away from this  _ cold _ , and Sokka leaps backwards in surprise as water hits his nose, and Zuko curses himself for ruining the moment even though he  _ knows _ that if it had gone on a moment longer he’d have kissed Sokka before he could stop himself. 

Sokka, mildly soaked and stunned, stares at Zuko in something like adoration, and it’s too much and not enough- he  _ knows _ Sokka doesn’t like him like that, but sometimes it’s damn near impossible to remember that. Zuko splashes Sokka again in the name of revenge, and he jerks indignantly and sends a wave right back. 

The water is  _ cold _ and Zuko doesn’t like the cold at all but Sokka’s smirking at him in that way he does when they’re both reminded again that Sokka is  _ unfairly _ tall, and that won’t do, so Zuko tackles Sokka backwards into the water until they’re playfighting across the pool, shoving each other into the freezing water and coming up laughing and chasing each other around and Zuko’s back hits the wall near the hot tub and Katara opens her eyes and yells “That’s gay!” as soon as Sokka’s underwater again. 

Zuko’s cheeks  _ burn _ and he’s  _ very _ glad Sokka couldn’t hear her and suddenly all too aware of Sokka’s arms around him and Aang’s snickers- Katara and Aang are  _ evil, _ Zuko decides as Sokka drags him underwater. Sokka’s smiling, a wide, giddy grin that Zuko wants to kiss off his face, and he’s  _ so _ glad that the water is saltwater and not chlorine because seeing that smile is  _ everything _ . 

Zuko can’t help smiling right back, his heart fluttering in  _ adoration _ . Sokka’s fingers thread through his hair and tug him closer, gentle and soft and  _ perfect _ , their lips meeting in a sweet kiss that seems to last  _ forever _ . 

They pull away far too soon for Zuko’s tastes but they’re  _ underwater _ and breathing isn’t really optional, emerging from the water and suddenly  _ reality _ comes crashing down. 

He just kissed his best friend. 

Actually, he’s pretty sure Sokka initiated it, and the only coherent thought running through his head and  _ not _ freaking out over how soft Sokka’s lips are is  _ that’s not platonic _ . 

And now Sokka’s cupping his face, looking a little terrified and a lot in love- how did Zuko  _ miss _ that? “Hey,” he says, nervous like Zuko’s going to shove him away. 

“Hi-” Zuko tries to say, but he blurts out “I’m in love with you,” instead and well. 

_ Well _ . 

Sokka’s arms lock around his waist, pressing Zuko against his chest as he seals the distance between their lips, and distantly Zuko registers Katara and Aang  _ losing their fucking minds _ in the background but he’s too busy melting into the love of his life’s arms at the moment to care, thank you very much.

He can deal with shippy friends  _ later _ . 

Later when he’s not gasping against Sokka’s lips, when Sokka’s not smirking and leaning into to whisper “ _ took you long enough _ ” and Zuko drags him back to his mouth before he can keep talking because he has absolutely no doubt Sokka is planning on making some smart remark and Zuko is not going to give him that chance. 

Sokka rests his forehead against Zuko’s, their breaths intermingling as they both grin giddily. 

“I love you too, jerk,” Sokka grins, and Zuko laughs as he kisses him again. 

**Author's Note:**

> im too lazy to link my tumblr so my main is @death-by-ladybug and my side art/writing is @chaotic-caws thank bye
> 
> comments and kudos,,, fuel my sleep deprived brain,,,


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